Piano Keys & Flower Petals
by Jaynezstar
Summary: 'Why must this always happen to me? Am I that pathetic' The thought ran through his mind before slamming his hands down onto the keys of the piano causing a loud crash of various notes. As the reverberating string of notes faded, a new sound could be heard echoing through the school's hall. It was the sound of a single person clapping. [Stingue/Highschool AU]
Stingue Weekend Day 1 – _Flowers_

 **A/N:** Heyo, this is the fanfic I wrote for day 1 of Tumblr's Stingue weekend. It's not the best story I've written but I was kinda rushing due to the deadline, aha. The setting is an AU taking place in a modern day high school. This was SUPPOSED to be my _scars_ prompt story but it ended up taking a different direction to what I had originally intended.

XXX

 _His slender, pale hands skimmed over the dusty white keys of the old piano producing a string of beautiful music that echoed throughout the empty hall._

 _The young teenager sitting behind the piano had his eyes closed as he focused on the music, putting all the emotion he could muster into the melody that the instrument sung for him. It'd been a long day._

 _'_ _Why must this always happen to me? Am I that pathetic?' The thought ran through his mind before slamming his hands down onto the keys of the piano causing a loud crash of various notes. As the reverberating string of notes faded, a new sound could be heard echoing through the school's hall._

 _It was the sound of a single person clapping._

XXX

Rogue Cheney was an outcast; he knew that and had grown used to the fact. No matter what school he attended he would always be the one that was subjected to other student's torment. The words they would throw at him had always lingered in the back of Rogue's mind, following him like a shadow and engulfed him when the sky became dark and there was no light to be seen.

That was until he found his light.

Sting Eucliffe was by far the most optimistic and enthusiastic person he'd ever met, completely contrasting his own personality. Rogue had met him on his first day at Magnolia High School after having to change schools once again. Like usual, he'd kept to himself, not wanting to draw any attention to himself. He had no intention of making friends but as fate would have it, he'd gotten just that. Sting had sat down next to him during homeroom on his first day and after multiple attempts of trying to get rid of him, Rogue gave in and allowed Sting to enter through the shadows he was surrounded by and shine a bright radiance into his otherwise bleak world. The two became inseparable.

Though there was one complication. Throughout the year that he'd known and grown close to Sting, somewhere along the line Rogue had fallen for the boy.

Honestly, at this point, Rogue couldn't envision himself apart from Sting.

XXX

"Stupid emo freak." A girl muttered pushing past Rogue as he trudged down the school corridor. He sighed and readjusted his bag so it would hang comfortably over one shoulder. His eyes focused on the ground and kept them there as he continued to walk to his classroom. When he arrived at his destination, he slumped into his seat and placed his head on the table with his cheek pressed against the cold surface.

"Why didn't I just take the day off?" He muttered into the desk. He closed his eyes but was only granted a minute of peace as not even a minute later a bundle of energy came hurdling toward him.

"Hey!" Sting greeted him with a toothy grin. Rogue peered a single crimson eye at him before once again closing it.

"Hi." He murmured, not really bothering to look up at the blond. Rogue didn't necessarily want to be rude, but he wasn't feeling up to any social activity.

A wave of concern crossed Sting's face as he sat in his assigned seat beside his brooding friend.

"Dude, you okay?" He asked gently. Sting knew that Rogue was distant at times, that's just how he was, but with his head rested on the table and a look of defeat that was etched onto his face, he knew there was something wrong with his friend. He heard a sigh escape Rogue's slips and he turned his head in Sting's direction.

"I feel a little sick is all…" The teen in question responded. Rogue hated having to lie to one of the only people he allowed himself to get close to, but he didn't want to burden Sting with the emotional baggage that this day was weighing upon him.

"Uh huh." Sting replied, clearly unconvinced but chose against pushing the matter. "Well I'm always here for you, okay, but I suggest going home now seeing as it's only homeroom and our 'totally professional teacher' is once again running late."

Rogue thought for a moment, debating whether to stay or go. He couldn't really go home if he left, as he wouldn't be able to get into the house but if he stayed he wasn't sure if he could last with his current mental state. His mind was screaming at him, whispers from his shadows pushing themselves in his face, panic began to rise. He couldn't deal with it today. Not today.

He simply nodded towards his friend and stood up, grabbing his bag and disappearing out the door. Rogue's breathing became quicker and he began to walk faster before sprinting out to the back of the school. Once outside he began to walk again and aimlessly wondered around the suburban streets that surrounded the school. He started to think about how he'd gotten to this point.

XXX

Back at the school Sting sat worriedly at his desk, not realising he was chewing on his pencil. It'd been a few hours since Rogue had taken off and he was regretting not pushing the issue of what was up with him. He couldn't remain focused on the math equations that were set out before him at all.

"Oi." His long time friend Minerva hissed, poking him in the back with her pencil from her seat, which was directly behind his. "What's up with you? You keep fidgeting. It's actually quite annoying. Don't tell me it's got something to do with your missing boyfriend…"

Sting groaned. "He is not my boyfrie-"

"But you'd like him to be." She said, cutting him off.

"It's not like that and you know it. But yes, I'm concerned about Rogue." Sting answered her wish a slight blush on his cheeks. Minerva rolled her eyes, flicking her long black hair over her shoulder.

"I'm surprised he actually showed up today…" She mumbled. Sting raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"What do you mean you're surprised?" Sting asked a little too loudly. Their maths teacher, Mr. Clive gave them an unimpressed look as if to say 'keep talking and you'll earn yourselves a detention.'

Minerva sighed. "Keep your voice down genius. Anyway, don't you realise what day it is?" She asked.

Sting gave another look of confusion, Minerva groaned. How could he be so forgetful? He was the boy's best friend for God's sake!

"Sting, it's the anniversary of his mother's death…" She said rather roughly, but there was a touch of sadness in her eyes. Sting's eyes widened and he let out a gasp before yelling "Shit!"

Mr. Clive gave him a look of annoyance "Sting Eucliffe! What have I said about cursi-" Sting cut the man off as he stood up and shoved his things messily into his bag before carelessly tossing it over his shoulder and began to rush out the door. He could hear his teacher yelling at him to come back but his mind was elsewhere, it was last period anyway, the man could live. He couldn't believe he had forgotten something that caused such an impact on his best friend and the boy he'd developed a crush on. It was the only reason that Rogue had even come to the city of Magnolia; his mother was his only parental figure so after her death he'd moved to live with his cousin Gajeel and his family.

In the classroom, Minerva sighed and shook her head, but a smile was painted on her face. 'That idiot,' she thought 'hope he finds him… Those two should just get together already though...'

XXX

Rogue didn't know how but he managed to find his way back onto the school's grounds. He looked at his watch. It'd been roughly an hour since school finished so aside from a few students with late buses, the school was practically empty. He wondered around the halls for a while before reaching the school's multi purpose hall. From the way everything was set up, there'd been some sort of musical performance recently. He dropped his bag just inside the door and walked around the hall for a bit until he saw the grand piano on the stage. He slowly walked up the stairs that led him onto the stage and sat down behind the shining, black piano. He gave a light smile and pressed down on a few keys.  
He'd always loved piano music, his mother would always play it for him when he was a young boy and after begging her to teach him as a child she granted the wish with joy. Some of his fondest memories of her were the two playing the instrument. After her death, he never touched the instrument again.

He'd wanted to show Sting his talent but he'd always been too afraid. All the memories that the instrument held, he didn't want to think about them. As happy as they were, it was painful to reminisce.

Sting… He was another thing that was weighing on his mind. In the year they'd known each other, he'd been too scared to tell him the way he felt about the boy. He didn't want to be rejected and lose another loved one. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost his light. The light he'd been so dependant on. He could feel a tear sliding down his face. He couldn't help it. He was lost.

'She'd know what to do.' Rogue thought sadly. 'Mother would know what to do in this situation…'

He looked down at the piano and gently caressed the keys before placing his fingers down on the instrument…

XXX

Rogue looked up from the piano, a faint blush heating up his cheeks. At the doorway stood Sting applauding him with, oddly enough, a bouquet of white flowers tucked under his arm. He slowly approached the stage.

"Gajeel told me you played," Sting started. "Never told me how amazing you are at playing." A blush spread across both boys' faces. Sting walked up the stairs of the stage and stood beside where the dark haired teenager sat. He held out the flowers to him.

"Lilies?" Rogue enquired, taking the flowers and placing them on top of the piano. "Whatever for?"

Sting rubbed the back of his neck. "I forgot what today was and I'm really, really sorry. I should've known and I should've been there for you." Sting told him, his sapphire orbs looking away from Rogue.

"I… You… Ah…" Rogue stuttered, at a loss for words, he neve expected Sting to remember and he was confused as to why he felt so bad. "You didn't have to go do this, I'm fine Sting, you don't have to be concerned for my sake."

Sting stared at him. He sat down next to his friend on the pianist's chair and looked him directly in the eyes.

"I really do care about you Rogue, truly I do. This is an event that's caused you a great amount of grief and the fact I forgot and didn't do anything to help or comfort you makes me feel like crap." Sting told him. Rogue's expression softened.

"I really don't deserve someone like you, who'd feel so bad for someone as insignificant as me, you know that?" A single tear slid down his pale cheek. Sting wiped the tear away with his thumb and pressed his forehead against Rogue's.

"You aren't insignificant at all, Rogue." Sting whispered. "You matter a whole lot more than you think you do and I'm willing to spend eternity helping you realise it."

Rogue was both touched and shocked. He'd never seen Sting's serious side before but the things he said made him want to cry tears of joy. His crimson eyes met Sting's sapphire ones. Sting took Rogue's hands in his and whispered.

"I love you…"

He braced himself, scared of the rejection that he was sure to come, but instead Rogue weakly whispered back.

"I love you too."

And on his face he wore a bright smile, despite the tears rolling down his cheeks. Sting laughed of joy and Rogue laughed with him as the two sat there a while longer. Just the two of them.

Rogue knew that somewhere in the great beyond, his mother was watching over the two with a smile.

XXX

 **Bonus**

Minerva peeked into the school's hall and smiled at the sight before her. It hadn't been that long ago that Sting had rushed up to her with a bunch of flowers and a distressed look saying he couldn't find Rogue anywhere, knowing that Gajeel's 'band' had just finished up their practice for the day, she suggested he catch him up and ask him where Rogue would be.

While he didn't find Gajeel, he certainly got a one up on the situation. Minerva sighed as she realised she'd missed her bus due to this – however, her girlfriend was on her way to pick her up.

'Wait til Yukino see's these dorks' She thought to herself before walking away to give them some privacy.


End file.
